Reaction to Colorado theater shooting sentence

CENTENNIAL, Colo. (AP) — A Colorado jury on Friday sentenced 27-year-old James Holmes to life in prison without the possibility of parole for killing 12 people and injuring 70 others in a suburban Denver movie theater in 2012.

How some victims' relatives and public officials reacted:

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"While I am disappointed with the outcome, I am not disappointed with the system and I am not disappointed with the process." — Arapahoe County District Attorney George Brauchler, who led the prosecution of gunman James Holmes.

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"We have to abide by it, and we have to accept it. We just have to deal with it and accept it. He's living. He's breathing and our loved ones are gone. The gaping void we have for our granddaughter has been replaced with a new abscess of him living." — Robert Sullivan, grandfather of 6-year-old Veronica Moser-Sullivan, the youngest victim of the attack.

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"The thought that this monster gets to have visitation from his parents and gets to receive mail and pictures from his very strange girlfriends is very hard to accept, but this is what it is." — Sandy Phillips, whose 24-year-old daughter Jessica Ghawi was killed in the attack.

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"We had him for 18 wonderful years. The only thing that I'm sorry about is that I don't have him for another 18. But we don't. We'll survive. He's no longer with us, in our midst, but he is here. But he is the one thing that really kept this family together. He's still keeping us together." — Bill Hoover, grandfather of A.J. Boik, 18, who was killed in the attack.

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"Now that we don't have the death penalty, we don't have to go through all the appeals. ... We want him to go into oblivion. We want him to never be seen or heard from again." Lonnie Phillips, whose 24-year-old stepdaughter Jessica Ghawi was killed in the attack.

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"I can tell you he has nothing to apologize for. ... He has nothing to apologize for what happened in the courtroom or the decision he made. ... He showed tremendous moral courage. Tremendous moral courage for doing what he thought was right. — Prosecutor Rich Orman on District Attorney George Brauchler's handling of the case.

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"Our thoughts remain with the victims and families who have suffered unspeakable tragedy. No verdict can bring back what they have lost but we hope they begin to find peace and healing in the coming weeks." — Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper.

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"On behalf of the citizens of Colorado, I would like to thank District Attorney George Brauchler and his team for their commitment to justice. As this matter continues through the judicial system, my office stands ready to assist. This evening, I am thinking about the victims of this awful tragedy and praying for their peace." — Colorado Attorney General Cynthia H. Coffman.

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"Although the (Colorado Criminal Defense Bar) is pleased that the jury rejected the death penalty, we are extremely disheartened by the wastefulness of the trial, which could have been avoided two years ago when a plea was offered that would have produced the exact same result. The huge amount of money, work hours, and pain wasted by this trial is incalculable." — Christopher Decker, President of the Colorado Criminal Defense Bar.

"I'm not going to second guess the jury's verdict because this is the way our system works, but I continue to believe that the death penalty should be retained in Colorado as an option for circumstances and crimes that call for the ultimate punishment. Just because this jury, in this case, didn't believe it was appropriate, doesn't mean future juries should be denied that option." — Colorado Senate President Bill Cadman.

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"The jury recognized that executing someone with severe mental illness is morally and legally indefensible. It is fortunate that Colorado will not be in the terrible position of having to do so. Furthermore, this verdict means the victims and their family members will be spared from years of appeals and from having to relive the details of that night over and over." — Denise Maes, policy director of the ACLU of Colorado.

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"Upon hearing the final verdict of the Aurora shooting trial, I am reminded of the murder of my own father. The anger, pain, and loss are as real as if the incident occurred today. My heart is broken for both the victims of this horrific crime, as well as the perpetrator of the crime. I am saddened for the families who will now live with this decision for the days, months and years to come. — Senate Minority Leader Lucia Guzman, who co-sponsored a bill to abolish the death penalty in Colorado.